For your convenience, I have arranged a listing of some of the more commonly asked questions regarding the Blackmagic Camera Family. Each link leads you to a post where we have previously discussed the topic in question.

These topics are still open for further discussion. If you have some input you'd like to give, or need more advice about a particular topic, please reply directly to each respective thread instead of starting a new one. That way, we can avoid splitting the discussions. Hope you find this handy!

But, please, if you can't find the answer below, before you post a question, give the Search function a try, if for no other reason than to refine the scope of your question. Most of the time you'll find your question has already been answered. Reading other responses will also serve as good "research" for your own question.

If you can't find your answer via search, then no problem, post away! But if you're too lazy to search, then don't be surprised if your post doesn't get too many replies!

Finally... PLEASE use your full name when posting. The idea of this rule, which has existed since the creation of these forums, is that users who can be clearly identified will be more respectful than those who remain anonymous.

New Monitor Features:- Improved screen colorimetry for the built in LCD.- Added ability to switch 3D LUT on and off for each output individually.- Added ability to switch false color, zebras, focus assist, frame guides, grids and safe area guide on or off for each output individually.- Added clean feed toggle for each output.- Added program tally indicator for the built in LCD and Front SDI when using ATEM.- Added monitoring option for tally, crosshairs and centre dot as part of grids.- Added 14:9 frame guides.- Added configurable safe area guides.- Expanded options for focus assist to include red, green, blue, black and white as well as peaking.- Added option for viewing codec and resolution setting instead of meters on the built in LCD.

New 3D LUT Features:- Added ability to monitor with 3D LUTs.- Added ability to import 3D LUT from CFast media.- Added ability to store up to 6 custom 17 point or 33 point LUTs into the camera’s internal flash memory.- Added the ability to export one of the camera’s 3D LUTs to CFast media so you can pass the 3D LUT to a colorist or editor.- Added ability to delete 3D LUT from camera’s internal memory.

New Features:- New URSA Mini OS.- New heads up display.- New menu system to allow faster operation.- New monitoring options separately configurable for different SDI outputs.- Added ability to load 3D LUTs (Look Up Table) for monitoring.- Added ability to save and load camera settings presets.

New Monitor Features:- Improved screen colorimetry for the built in LCD.- Added ability to switch 3D LUT on and off for each output individually.- Added ability to switch false color, zebras, focus assist, frame guides, grids and safe area guide on or off for each output individually.- Added clean feed toggle for each output.- Added program tally indicator for the built in LCD and Front SDI when using ATEM.- Added monitoring option for tally, crosshairs and centre dot as part of grids.- Added 14:9 frame guides.- Added configurable safe area guides.- Expanded options for focus assist to include red, green, blue, black and white as well as peaking.- Added option for viewing codec and resolution setting instead of meters on the built in LCD.

New 3D LUT Features:- Added ability to monitor with 3D LUTs.- Added ability to import 3D LUT from CFast media.- Added ability to store up to 6 custom 17 point or 33 point LUTs into the camera’s internal flash memory.- Added the ability to export one of the camera’s 3D LUTs to CFast media so you can pass the 3D LUT to a colorist or editor.- Added ability to delete 3D LUT from camera’s internal memory.

New Monitor Features:- Improved screen colorimetry for the built in LCD.- Added ability to switch 3D LUT on and off for each output individually.- Added ability to switch false color, zebras, focus assist, frame guides, grids and safe area guide on or off for each output individually.- Added clean feed toggle for each output.- Added program tally indicator for the built in LCD and Front SDI when using ATEM.- Added monitoring option for tally, crosshairs and centre dot as part of grids.- Added 14:9 frame guides.- Added configurable safe area guides.- Expanded options for focus assist to include red, green, blue, black and white as well as peaking.- Added option for viewing codec and resolution setting instead of meters on the built in LCD.

New Presets Features:- Added ability to create up to 12 global camera settings presets.- Added ability import and export camera presets to CFast media.- New 3D LUT Features- Added ability to monitor with 3D LUTs.- Added ability to import 3D LUT from CFast media.- Added ability to store up to 6 custom 17 point or 33 point LUTs into the camera's internal flash memory.- Added the ability to export one of the camera's 3D LUTs to CFast media so you can pass the 3D LUT to a colorist or editor.- Added ability to delete 3D LUT from camera's internal memory.

Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera:- New Blackmagic Camera Setup software- Adds support for more frame guide options- Adds Japanese and Chinese language menu support- Holding down MENU will bypass Dashboard and go straight into settings- Peaking state is remembered after power cycle

Blackmagic Cinema Camera:- New Blackmagic Camera Setup software- Adds lossless compressed RAW support- Adds support for more frame guide options- Holding down MENU will bypass the Dashboard- Peaking state is remembered after power cycle

Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera:- New Blackmagic Camera Setup software- Adds support for more frame guide options- Adds Japanese and Chinese language menu support- Holding down MENU will bypass Dashboard and go straight into settings- Peaking state is remembered after power cycle

Blackmagic Cinema Camera:- New Blackmagic Camera Setup software- Adds lossless compressed RAW support- Adds support for more frame guide options- Holding down MENU will bypass the Dashboard- Peaking state is remembered after power cycle

Blackmagic Production Camera 4K:- No changes

Blackmagic Studio Camera:- No changes

Blackmagic Studio Camera 4K:- No changes

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2.0 (23 Jan 2015)

Blackmagic URSA:- Adds support for windowed 1920 x 1080 recording up to 150 fps- Adds support for Apple ProRes 444 XQ recording in HD and 4K- Adds support for new V2 4K sensor for recording up to 120 fps RAW at 4K- New installer layout which displays current software installed in camera- Improved menu option for selecting recording format

Blackmagic Studio Camera 4K:- 12G-SDI performance improvements

Blackmagic Production Camera 4K:- No changes

Blackmagic Studio Camera:- No changes

Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera:- No changes

Blackmagic Cinema Camera:- No changes

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1.9.11 (18 Dec 2014)

Blackmagic Studio Camera 4K:- New Details option in camera- New support for independent control of front and rear tally brightness- Add "Ch 2 used Ch 1 Input" option in Audio settings- Added more camera settings information in display overlay

Blackmagic Studio Camera:- New Details option in camera- New support for independent control of front and rear tally brightness- Add "Ch 2 used Ch 1 Input" option in Audio settings- Added more camera settings information in display overlay

Blackmagic Production Camera 4K:- Adds support for in-camera formatting of SSDs

Blackmagic URSA:- No changes

Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera:- No changes

Blackmagic Cinema Camera:- No changes

Blackmagic Studio Camera:- No changes

Blackmagic Studio Camera 4K:- No changes

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1.9.4 (5 Sept 2014)

Blackmagic URSA:- General perfomance improvements

Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera:- No changes

Blackmagic Cinema Camera:- No changes

Blackmagic Production Camera 4K:- No changes

Blackmagic Studio Camera:- No changes

Blackmagic Studio Camera 4K:- No changes

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1.9.3 (22 Aug 2014)

Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera:- Add histogram, time remaining and audio level indicators. Use Up and Down to reveal and hide the meters while Left and Right will adjust the aperture of your active MFT lens.- Fixed bug where in-camera playback may sometimes drop frames.

Blackmagic Studio Camera:- Remote Camera Control support from ATEM live production switchers.- Audio level input now has Line, Mic Low and Mic High gain settings.- No documented changes to other cameras.

- New option for time lapse recording in the Recorder settings- exFAT file system support- F-stop values are displayed when using compatible EF lenses- SDI output now supports RP-188 timecode- Support for Thunderbolt on Windows

The only thing I'd add is about Resolve inclusion. No thread on my search answered it that well.

A Full DaVinci Resolve License Dongle Is included with the BMCC (EF and MFT and the BMPC (4K).

The Lite Version is included with the BMPCC.

The latest version (and some legacy versions) of both the Lite and the Full version are avaliable to download from the BMD support page for free. THe Full version requires a dongle to work.

The DaVinci Resolve License Dongle works with curent and future versions of the software, so when 10 comes out all full version owners of 8 and 9 (not sure how long this policy has been going on for before that) can use the full version of 10. 11 will likely follow this pattern.

TZuck wrote:can we also get a Chroma Subsampling link that effectively explains what it is, and then also a link for Bayered sensors and De-Bayering? I know these topics get confusing and intertwined quick

I have explained it many times on various threads if anyone is able to find them.

Else I dont mind posting it again in here and simply link it down to the comment. I would do it with visual examples too. Its a bit of a bugbear of mine when people confuse the two.

I suppose it could be that power has to pass through the 'internal battery-system' before reaching the components that need power and without a working battery the 'internal battery-system' could fail.

If that sandisk 128 gb card can sustain 45 mb/s over time it will be fine for ProRes recording. The 95 mb/s versions are only needed for raw recording, but you might benefit from faster readouts when downloading your footage, even if you only record ProRes.

Right now i find the 128 gb cards are still too expensive, i think i will be using a couple more 64 gb cards - one for each battery i buy, because they are similar in runtime, so when i swich the battery i also switch cards.

Hey, maybe that's why the left out the "disk space left" indicator: you can use the battery indicator as well

Good to see there's a list of officially supported LANC controllers for the BMCC. I wish I could find a list that says which LANCs work with the Pocket. Maybe nobody knows, or maybe I can't find the applicable support port.

Christopher wrote:Good to see there's a list of officially supported LANC controllers for the BMCC. I wish I could find a list that says which LANCs work with the Pocket. Maybe nobody knows, or maybe I can't find the applicable support port.

Given that the Pocket is running the same firmware - I'd say whatever controllers work on the BMCC will also work on the Pocket. Sadly, I don't believe there has been any official documentation specific to the Pocket released yet.

There's one other card that some users had partial success using it for raw, that's the 128 gb 80 mb/s sandisk pro card. But it seems it is just barely fast enough, users report dropped frames after a couple of minutes when recording raw at 24 fps, and it doesn't seem to be fast enough for 30 fps at all.

This problem is fixed in newer cameras, but you can easily test for it: just film a point light source in a dark scene, e.g. a car headlight at night, or a bright LED, or anything else that should produce a small clipped highlight. If your camera suffers from that "white orb" issue, you'll see white discs instead of small points, once you've seen them you'll know it.

Been trying out the 14mm Lumix lens on the Pocket Camera. Noticed that when I have non-electronic lens, I have peaking mode. But when I have an electronic lens, I only have auto focus. No way to switch off the Auto, and get the peaking instead for Electronic lenses?

Compressed RAW for the 4K camera is an advertised feature, as it was with the Pocket cam before. BMD will provide an update adding RAW recording to the 4K cam for sure. Other features, that have never been on BMDs list, are not likely to be added later.

I have received my blackmagic 4k production camera 2 weeks ago. I must say i like it but i cant find the HD mode on my bmpc with the ability to shoot 50 fps or 59.94 fps in Full HD. The only two options in record mode are prores 4k and prores HD. There both going max to 30 fps on my display. What am i doing wrong cause the offical website of blackmagic says at the Tech Specs of the 4k BMPC that it can shoot in 50/59.94 fps. Please help me with this.

WillemMollema wrote:I have received my blackmagic 4k production camera 2 weeks ago. I must say i like it but i cant find the HD mode on my bmpc with the ability to shoot 50 fps or 59.94 fps in Full HD. The only two options in record mode are prores 4k and prores HD. There both going max to 30 fps on my display. What am i doing wrong cause the offical website of blackmagic says at the Tech Specs of the 4k BMPC that it can shoot in 50/59.94 fps. Please help me with this.

Unfortunately Willem, the Blackmagic Production Camera 4K can only output 1920x1080i50 and 1920x1080i59.94 via the SDI output - it cannot record these frame rates to the internal SSD.